Doncaster pet shops ban sale of rabbits during Easter

Darren Burke

A pet shop which has branches in Doncaster has said it will not sell rabbits over Easter, in an attempt to crack down on impulse buying and animals being abandoned after the novelty wears off.

Pets at Home said customers will not be able to buy or adopt a rabbit at any of its stores during the period between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Customers’ interest in rabbits increases at Easter due to the holiday’s connection with the Easter bunny, according to the retailer.

But Pets At Home said many children do not understand the specific needs of rabbits, which means that many are left abandoned once the Easter period is over.

“We pride ourselves on putting pets before profit so we’ve taken the decision not to sell rabbits during the upcoming Easter weekend. Nor will customers be able to adopt rabbits in need of rehoming from our in-store adoption centres,” said Peter Pritchard, chief executive of retail at Pets at Home.

The firm will also run free “rabbit workshops” over Easter break to raise awareness of how to care for the mammals.